Changeable sign.



G. W. COX & R. SHIELDS. CHANGEABLE SIGN.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 10, 1913.

Patented Dec. 8, 1914.

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ATTORNEY.

G. W. COX (Q R. SHIELDS.

OHANLJEABLE SIGNv APPLICATION nun) JULY 10, 1912.

Patented Dec. 8, 1914.

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GLENN W. COX AND RCBERTiSI-IIELDS, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA,ASSIGNORS 'TO ELECTRIC SERVICE SUPPLIES COMPANY, OF PHILADELPHIA,PENNSYLVANIA, A

CORPORATION OF'PENNSYLVANIA.

CHANGEABLE SIGN.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 8, 1914.

Application filed July 10, 1913. Serial No. 778,292.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, GLENN W. Cox and ROBERT SHIELDS, citizens of theUnited States, and residents of the city of Philae delphia, county ofPhiladelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, have jointly invented certainImprovements in Changeable Signs, of which the following is aspecification.

Our invention is a sign adapted for displaying various indicia insequence and it is designed primarily for use upon street or passengercars to display the names of streets "or 'points of destination.

The leading object of our improvements is to provide efficient meansadapted for positively winding a curtain, bearing the points ofdestination, alternately in oppo site directions, so that the windingshall be effected and a proper tension maintained throughout the windingoperation in each direction, or so that the rollers by-which the curtainis carried shall have the differential movements desired on account ofthe varying rolls of the curtain thereon.

Further objects ofthe improvements are to provide for the ready removal,replacement and interchange of curtains; to effect the desired tensionby adjustable frictional mechanism with elimination of the uncertainresults due to the usual use of springs; to provide a compact deviceadapted foruse in the limited spaces available, and to secure certainaction effecting the proper positioning of the names or other indieia tobe displayed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a front ele vation ofa sign embodying ourimprove ments, Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the same, Fig. 3 is abroken enlarged view with the back of the casing cut away to show a rearelevation of an interior construction, Fig. 4 is a sectional view on theline 4-4 of Fig. 3, Fig. 5 is a broken sectional view on the line 5-5 ofFig. 3, Fig. 6 is a sectional view on the line 66 of Fig. 3, Fig. 7 is avertical sectional view taken transversely through the -mechanismprovided with a modified operating crank and handle, Fig.

8 is a sectional view on the line 88 of Fig; 7, Fig. 9 is a verticalsectional view taken through the axes of rollers having a modiand thedoor 4 in the rear for giving access to the mechanism which carries thecurtain. A plate 5, provided with the studs 6 and 7, is fixedin oneendxof the casing, and in the names of streets or points of destination,

otherend thereof are fixed the bracket 8 and the plates 9 and 10, theplate 9 being provided with the arbor ll'and the cams .12, 13 and Li,and the plate 10. being provided with the arbor 15 and the cams 16, 17and 18. A yoke 19, disposed in the casing, is provided with transverseslots 20 and 21 which engage the studs 6 and 7, and with the set screw22 which engages the plate 5 so as to hold the yoke in place and-adjustits position, a lock nut 23 onthe screw be-*' ing run in against theyoke to hold the position. Arbors 24 and 25 of the respective rollers 26and 27 are journaled in the yoke 19. Frictional disks 28 and 29 (pref--erably of leather) are fixed on the yoke 19 and engage the concavesurfaces of the dished frictional disks 30 and 31 fixed to correspondingends of the rollers. The opposite ends of the rollers are journaled onthe arbors 11 and 15, (or 52' and 15 asshown in Fig. 9) and are providedwith the dished disks 32 and 33 having the lugs 3t thereon. It will beunderstood that by loosening the screw 22, the yoke 19 can be drawn backfrom the bearings 6 and 7, and the rollers 26 and 27, with the curtain 3removed from the-casing.

Sheaves or sprocket wheels 37 and 38 are journaled on the respectivearbors Hand 15 and are provided with the respective pawls 39 and 40adapted to rock on the bearings 41 and 42 into and out of engagementwith the respective sets of lugs 34, the pawls having the respectivepins 43 and 44 eX-. tending. laterally therefrom through the aperturesand 46 of the wheels into the planes of the respective sets of cams 12,13 and 14, and 16, 17 and 18. A link belt 47 passes over the wheels 37and 38 whereby they are adapted to be operated together. As shown inFigs- 3, 4 and 5, the belt 47 is engaged by a sprocket wheel 48 to whichis fixed the beveled gear wheel 49, these wheels being journaled bymeans of the shaft supported by the bearing 8. The wheel 49 is engagedby a beveled gear wheel 51 which is fixed on the shaft 52, the latterbeing journaled in the bearing 8 and revolved by the crank 53. When thecrank 53 is turned clockwise, the pawl 39 is caused, by the intermediatemechanism, to revolve in the forward direction and positively engages alug or ratchet tooth 34 of the top roller 26. In this operation, the cam14 deflects the pin 43, as it travels upwardly from its dotted lineposition, so that it passes between the tops of the cams 12 and 13 (Fig.4), when gravity will effect the engagement of the pawl 39 with thecorresponding teeth 34. The roller .26 is now positively revolved towind thereon the curtain 3, which is drawn off the lower roller 27subject to the tension imposed thereon by the engaging frictional disks29 and 31, the lower pawl 40 being moved by the wheel 38 in the reversedirection so as to permit the lower roller to turn with the desireddifferential movement relative to the roller 26. 'hen the crank 53 isturned anti-clockwise, the pawl 40 is caused to revolve in the forwarddirection and positively engages a lug or ratchet tooth 34 of the lowerroller 27. In this operation, the cam 18 will engage the' pin 44, as itmoves upwardly from the full line position shown in Fig. 4, andrcause itto pass between the tops of cams 16 and 17, when the pawl will drop bygravity into engagement with a corresponding'tooth 34. The roller 27 isnow positively revolved to wind thereon the curtain, which is paid offthe roller 26 revolving to the action of the engaging fricevices 28 and30, the pawl 39 being fiiled by the wheel 37 in the reverse direction.It will be observed that in the rearward movement of the, respectivepawls, gravity will cause their respective pins 43 and 44 to pass to theoutside of the respective cams 12 and 16 (as indicated by the dottedline position of the pin 44 in Fig. 4), from the tops of which they passto the outside of the respective cams 13 and 17, so 7 that in thereverse movement the pawls are held removed from the ratchet teeth ofthe respective rollers and either roller is permitted to revolveindependently of the corresponding pawl in the operation of paying offthe curtain.

The back of the curtain, exposed to the view of the operator, isprovided, near an edge thereof, with indicating marks, such as the arrowshown in Fig. 3, corresponding with the destination to be centered inthe sight aperture, as Broad st. shown in Fig. 1, and on the yoke 19 isfixed a pointer 19 with which the arrow registers when the name of thedestination is in the desired central position. As a guide to theoperator, the names to be displayed to the public through the sightaperture are printed on the back of the curtain, on each side of thecorresponding arrows, so that in turning the curtain in either directionthe operator can see on the back of the curtain the name on the frontapproaching the sight aperture.

In the construction shown in Figs. 7 and 8, the parts 49, 51, 52 and 53of the form shown in Figs. 3 and 5 have been eliminated: a crank 49 isfixed to the shaft 50 to effect the revolution of the sprocket wheel 48,and a handle 51' is pivotally connected to the crank 49 to revolve it,the crank lying wholly within the casing 1 and the handle being adaptedto stand on the casing bottom, within the door, so that the mechanismshall be held thereby.

As illustrated in Fig. 9, the shaft 52- extends through the end of thecasing 1, is

journaled in the plate 9 and has the sprocket wheel 37 fixed thereon bythe nuts 54 and 55, the top roller 26 and its disk 32 journaled on theinner end thereof, and the operating crank 53' fixed thereto, while thesprocket wheel 38 is journaled on the stationary arbor 15 (between thebearings 56 and 57) by which an end of the roller 27 is journaled.

It will be understood that the improvements are not limited to aparticular form of construction.

Having described our invention, we claim:

1. In a sign, a casing having a sight aperture, a pair of rollers, meanswhereby said rollers are detachably supported in said casing, said meanscomprising a yoke connected in movable relation to said casing andconnecting ends of said rollers, a cur tain having indicia thereoncarried by saidrollers across said aperture, said curtain having indiciaon the back thereof arranged in relation to said indicia first named,and a pointer fixed to said yoke and adapted to cooperate with saidsecond named indicia to position said first named indicia.

2. In a sign, a frame, a yoke movably connected with said frame, rollersjournaled in said yoke and having frictional devicesthereon, a'curtainon said rollers, frictional devices fixed relatively to said yoke andengaging said first named frictional devices, and a screw engaging saidyoke and frame, said yoke being movable by said screw relatively to saidframe and rollers so as to adjust the braking action of said frictionaldevices.

3. In a sign, a frame having arbors at one end and bearing pins at theother end thereof, a yoke having slots whereby it is movably supportedby said pins, a screw whereby said yoke is adapted to be adjusted to andfixed in position, frictional devices carried by said yoke, rollershaving ends thereof engaged by said arbors, frictional devices on saidrollers engaging said frictional devices first named, and arbors wherebyends of said rollers are supported by and journalcd relative to saidyoke.

4. In a sign, a curtain. a pair of rollers therefor, gravity actuatedclutching mechanism for engaging the rollers in their respective windingmovements, mechanism operable in opposite directions whereby therespective clutching mechanisms alternately engage and revolve theirrollers, and means for preventing said clutching mechanisms fromengaging in the respective unwinding movements of sa d rollers.

5. In a sign, a curtain, a pair of rollers therefor, oppositely actingclutching mechanisms comprising revolving pawls and stationary pawlengaging cams for revolving the respective rollersin oppositedirections, and means for positively driving said rollers alternatelythrough their respective clutching mechanisms, said cams preventingengagement of the respective clutching mechanisms when said rollers arerevolved in the reverse directions.

6. In a sign, a curtain, a pair of rollers therefor, a pair of wheels,means whereby said wheels are connected in cooperating relation, a pawland ratchet mechanism for positively engaging a wheel and roller toeffect movement of said curtain in one direction, an oppositely actingpawl and ratchet mechanism for positively engaging the other wheel androller to effect the movement of said curtain in the opposite direction,and a plurality of cams in the path of movement oi 1 part of each ofsaid pawls for controlling the actions thereof.

7. The combination of a pair of journaled rollers, a pair of sheavesrespectively journaled relatively to said rollers, means comprising abelt connecting said sheaves whereby they are operated together,clutching mechanism positively connecting one of said sheaves with acorresponding roller in one direction of movement while disengaging inthe reverse movement, and mechanism disposed and acting oppositely tosaid clutching mechanism first named whereby the other of said sheavesis positively connected with a corresponding roller in one direction ofmovement while disengaging in the reverse movement, each of saidclutching mechanisms comprising a revoluble pawl and a stationary camadapted for engaging a part of said pawl to guide the movement thereof.

8. The combination of a journaled wheel and roller having a common axisof revolution, a second journaled wheel and roller having a common axisof revolution, clutching mechanism comprising a pawl and ratchet adaptedfor engaging said first named wheel and roller, stationary cam mechanismadapted for engaging a part of said pawl for effecting and preventingthe engagement of said clutching mechanism in the opposite movementsthereof, oppositely acting clutching mechanism comprising a pawl andratchet adapted for engaging said second named wheel and roller,stationary cam mechanism adapted for engaging a part of said pawl foreffecting and reventing the engagement of said secon named clutchingmechanism in the opposite movements thereof, and means for operatingsaid wheels together in the same direction.

9. The combination of a roller havin a braking device at one end and aclutching disk at the other end thereof, a braking device engaging saidbraking device first named to restrain the movement of said roller, awheel journaled on the axis of said roller adjacent to said clutchingdisk, a clutching device carried by said wheel and adapted for engagingsaid clutching disk in one direction of movement of said wheel, andmeans for preventing said clutching disk and device from engaging in theother direction of movement of said wheel.

10. The combination of a roller having a braking device fixed to one endand a ratchet fixed to the other end thereof, a braking devicefrictionally engaging said device first named, a Wheel j ournaled on theaxis of said roller adjacent to said ratchet, a pawl carried by saidwheel for engaging said ratchet and revolving said roller in onedirection, said wheel having a slot therein and said pawl having a pinthereon extending through said slot, and stationary cams adapted forengaging said pin to effect the engagement of said pawl in its forwardmovement and to prevent the engagement thereof in its rearward movement.

11. The combination of a pair of journaled rollers, a pair of sprocketwheels respectively journaled on the axes of said rollers, a sprocketchain connecting said wheels, a sprocket wheel for driving said chain,ratchets carried by the respective rollers, oppositely disposed pawlscarried by the respective wheels first named and adapted to engage therespective ratchets alternately when said chain is wound in oppositedirections and cams for controlling the respective pawls.

12. The combination of a casing, a pair of rollers journaled therein, acurtain carried by said rollers, sprocket wheels respectively journaledat the corresponding axes of said rollers, a sprocket chain connectisaid wheels, a ratchet carried by each- 13 said rollers, oppositelyacting pawls carried by set our names this 7th day of May, 1913, in therespective wheels and adapted for enthe presence of the subscribingwitnesses.

gaging the respective ratchets, and earn GLENN \V. COX.

mechanisms whereby each pawl is thrown ROBERT SHIELDS. 5 toward itsratchet when advancing and held \Vitnesses:

therefrom when retracting. \VM. H. (iRAVER,

In testimony whereof We have hereunto \V. J. JAMISON.

